Vehicle doorcheck



April 28; 1925.

Fila March 28, 1924 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

FLOYD K. EASTMAN, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA, ASSIG-NOR TO CONCEALED 1,535,113 OFFICE.

noon annex COMPANY, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA, A CORPORATION.

VEHICLE nooRoHEcx.

Application filed March 28, 1924. Serial NO. 702,574.

To all whom it may cmwern:

Be it known that I, FLOYD K. EASTMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kokomo, county of Howard, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Vehicle Doorcheck; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being .had to. the accompanying l drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

This invention relates to a door check particularly adapted for use on automobile bodies for arresting the outward swing. of 16 the body door.

The type of door check commonly used is that of a leather or fabric strap having one end secured to the body pillar on which the door is hinged and the other end to the door for eliminating the outward swing and movement thereof. Such checks have been unsatisfactory since there is no give to them and a violent opening of the door will cause them to snap or pull away. Furthermore, they gradually wear until a constant opening of the door causes them to become loosened; and they present an inwardly extending bulgy fold when the door is closed, which is often in the way However, there have been various types of door checks provided to overcome the difliculties of the com-- lllOIl type above described, which are built in and concealed in the door or body and provided with a resilient bumper, such as checks being made of metal in the form of either a rod orchain. VVhile'these checks are quite satisfactory, they must be built in the body and are not satisfactory for purposes of installation to replace the usual to strap- It isthe object of this invention to provide a door check having a metallic strap adapted to lie flush with the body surface ratherthan to fold inwardly therefrom,

and which is also provided with a spring bumper for taking up the shock upon the violent opening of the door, which may be readily installed on the body without the necessity of its being built in. The advantages of this type of check are that 1t may be used to easily replace the usual strap, while at the same time giving substantially the same service and result as the built-in metal check and bumper.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims: a

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the check mounted on a door. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross section taken through thev door and adjacent body portion, showu ing the check mounted thereon. F ig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2, showing the position of the check with the door-open. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the stationary plate'with the bumper spring and adjustable anchor lug mounted thereon. as Fig. 4, showing an end elevation thereof.

In the drawings there is shown a portion of the door 10 hingedly mounted on a portion of the body 11 of an. automobile, said door being formed with an upright frame member 12 and the body portion with an upright frame member or pillar 13. The frame member 12 of the door is adapted to abut and lie adjacent the pillar 13 when in closed position, and be hingedly supported thereon by a hinge 14. On the exterior of, the door frame and the body there is the usual sheet metal covering 15 and on the interior thereof there is provided a lining 16 and upholstering fabric 17.

The door check comprises .an elongated flexible metal .strap 18 having a slight curvature which by reason of its flexibility may Fig. 5 is the same be flexedto the greater curvature shown in Fig. 3 when the door is open, and when the door is closed, as shownin Fig. 2, may be straightened out soas to lie flat againstthe inner surface of the door. The strap is anchored at one end to the bod by a screw 19 and is slidably, mounted at t e other end through a suitable slot in the flange 20 of the plate 21. The plate 21 is slidably secured to the pillar 12 by means of a strap 22,

said strap bein secured thereto by the screws 23, in suc is slidable laterally with respect to the pillar 12 and strap 22, as shown in Fig. 4. Said plateextends rearwardly beneath the upholstery, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, an appreciable distance beyond the inner surface of the pillar 12 away from thebody. In the inwardly extending end of said plate there is provided a central longitudinal slot 24 and on the upper and lower edges thereof thereis' provided a plurality of notches 25.

Inasmuch as the door pillars 12 vary slightly in width or thickness, there must be 1 manner that the plate 21 an-adjustment provided to com ensate fori such ,variation in taking care o the spring bumper. For this purpose an adjustable" lug 26 is providedwhich has an upwardly extending projection 27 and oppositely ex-" tending teeth 28 adapted to engage in the notches 25. A central lock screw 29 extends through the slot 24 in the plate and 1s adapted to screw into a threaded central angles thereto into the spiral spring 31 or supporting and holding in place the end of I said spring which abuts the flange 27. lhe v opposite end of said spring is adapted to ut the adjacent surface of the p1 lar 12 and the adjustment of the plate'is suc that it will be under a slight tension between said pillar and the flange 27, so that it will be maintained in place therebetween. As it is more convenient to provide such springsof the same size, in event the attachment is a plied to-a body having a relatively thin pillar, the In is movedforwardly to com nsate there or, or, on the other hand, if he pillar is of greater thickness, it is moved rearwardly. It is desired for the proper 'operation of the device that the flange be positioned normally in line with the hinge 14 and with sprin s of the same length and the lug 27 shouldlic adjusted to a fixed distance from the inner surface of the pillar. On the free-end of the stra 18 there is provided a head 32 which wi engage the ange 20 and prevent further sliding movement of the strap when the dooris open, as shown in Fig. 3. Further movement of the door-will cause the plate 21 to slide in the strap 22 com ressing the spring 31 against the pillar, w ereby said spring will act as a resilient bum r 'after the door has reached the normal limit of movement.

It will be observed that the check may be readilyinstalled by loosening the upholstory on thebodya distance of an inch or .securedbyt e screws 23.

1 two and sliding the end of the spring thereunder and thereafter screwing the same in place. For mounting the plate 21, the door portion of the upholstery may be loosened until the .pla'te with the spring in place can be slid t ereunder and positioned,- after which'the u holstery and straps 22 may be 'Ifhe invention claimed is: v v 1. The combin t'on with a body frame member, and a door frame member hin ed thereto,.of a door check comprising a p ate secured to one of said members, a relatively thin flat resilient metal strap adapted to maintain itself acl'acent the, surface of the.

other member, said strap having one end to the other member and slidably connected with said plate-,--and means on said strap for engagingsaid plate and limiting the sliding movement with respect thereto r upon the or being opened.

2. The combinatlon with a body frame member, and a door frame memberhin ed thereto, of a door check comprising a p ate secured to one of said members, a.re1at1vely thin flat resilient metal strap adapted to maintain itself adjacent the surface of the other member, said strap having one end secured to the other member and slidably connected with said plate, meanson said strap for engaging said late and limiting the slidin movement w1th res ect thereto upon'the oor being opened, an a cushioning member associated therewith for absorbing the shock caused by the movement of said door being brought to a stop and by said strap engaging said plate.

3. The combination with a body frame member, and a door frame member hin ed thereto of a door check comprising a fate secured to one of said members, a resi ient metal strap havin one end secured to the other member an slidably connected with said plate, means on said stra for engaging said plate and limiting the sli 'ng movement with respect thereto upon the door being I opened, a head formed on the free end of said strap for engaging said plate and limiting-the further sliding movement of the strap with respect thereto upon the door being opened, 'and a cushioning member associated therewith for absorbing the shock caused by the head of said strap engaging said late.

4. e combination with,a body frame member, and a door frame member hin ed thereto, of a door check comprising a p ate removably secured to the exterior of one of said members, a resilientmetal strap having one end removably secured to the exterior of the other member and slidably connected with said plate, and means on said strap for engaging said plate and limiting the slidin movement with respect thereto upon the oor being opened.

5. The combination with a body frame member, and a door frame member hinged thereto, of a door check comprising a late removably secured to the exterior 0 one means on said strap for limiting its sliding movement with respect to said plate upon said door member moving away from the plate member a given distance.

7 The combination with a body frame member, and a door frame member hinged thereto, of a door check comprising a plate, means secured to one of said members for slidably supporting said plate on the ex'-- terior thereof, a cushioning member associated with said plate for yieldingly limiting the sliding movement thereof with respect to the exterior surface of said frame member, a flexible metal strap having one end fixedly secured to the other frame mem-v her, and means on said strap adapted to engage said plate for limiting the movement of said frame members away 'from each other.

8. The combination with a body frame member, and a door frame member hinged thereto, of a door check comprising a plate.

with a head thereon, a strap removably secured to the surface of one of said frame members for 'slidably supporting said plate thereon, a cushion supported on said plate and bearing against said frame member for yieldingly limiting the sliding movement thereof, a flexible metal strap having one end removably secured to the surface of the other frame member, the other end of said strap being slidably connected with the head of said plate, and a head on said strap adapted to engage with the head on said plate for limiting the movement of' said frame members away from each other.

9. The combination with a body frame member, and a door frame member lunged thereto, of a door check comprising a plate with a head thereon, a strap removably secured to the surface ofone of said frame members for slidably supporting sald plate thereon, a spiral bumper cushioning spring ,3 associated with said plate and bearing against said frame member for yieldingly limiting the sliding movement thereof, a

member, and a door frame member hinged thereto, of a door check with a head thereon, cured to the surface comprising a plate a strap removably seof one of said frame members for slidably supporting said plate thereon, a cushion supported on said plate andbearing against said frame member for yieldingly limiting the sliding movement thereof, a flexible metal strap having one end removably secured to the surface of the other frame member, the other end of said strap being slidably connected .with the head of said plate, a head on said strap adapted to engage with the head on said plate for limiting the movement of said frame members away from each other, and means on said plate for varying the position of said cushion member with respect thereto.

11. The combination with a body frame member, and a door frame member hinged thereto, of a door check comprising a plate with a head thereon, a strap removably secured to the surface of one of said frame members for slidably supporting said plate thereon, a spiral cushioning spring asso plate, a head on said strap adapted to engage with thehead on said plate for limiting the movement of said frame members away from each other, alug for engaging one end of said spring, and means for ad- ,justing the position of said lug on said plate for varying the position of said spring with respect thereto.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixedmy signature.

FLOYD K. EASTMAN. 

